2020 Toyota Tacoma maintenance schedule

Written in plain English and reviewed by the eli5cars editorial team · Last reviewed June 2026

2.7L 4-cylinder naturally aspirated (159 hp) or 3.5L V6 (278 hp)SRSR5TRD SportMSRP $26,400

Jump to a mileage milestone:

30k miles 60k miles 90k miles 120k miles

Full service timeline

Mileage	Service items	Details
5k mi	Engine oil and filter change — 0W-20 full synthetic for 3.5L V6; 0W-20 or 5W-30 for 2.7L 4-cylinder (Toyota factory interval) Tire rotation Inspect brake pads and rotors — front and rear Check all fluid levels
10k mi	Engine oil and filter change — 0W-20 full synthetic Tire rotation Inspect cabin air filter condition Inspect battery terminals and connections Inspect 4WD engagement mechanism and front differential (4WD/4x4 models)
15k mi	Engine oil and filter change — 0W-20 full synthetic Tire rotation Inspect brake fluid color and level Inspect steering linkage — tie rods, drag link, and pitman arm Inspect front and rear driveshaft U-joints (4WD models)
30k mi	Engine oil and filter change — 0W-20 full synthetic Tire rotation Replace cabin air filter Replace engine air filter Inspect spark plugs — iridium (3.5L V6 and 2.7L 4-cylinder; Toyota factory interval 60k–120k, inspect at 30k) Inspect and lubricate front suspension ball joints and steering knuckle pins Inspect front differential fluid (4WD — Toyota 75W-90 GL-5 hypoid gear oil; change if milky or dark) Inspect transfer case fluid (4WD — Toyota ATF Type T-IV or Genuine Multi-Vehicle ATF) Inspect rear differential fluid (all Tacomas — change every 15k in severe off-road use; 30k standard) Inspect driveshaft center bearing and grease U-joints (4WD)	View →
60k mi	Engine oil and filter change — 0W-20 full synthetic Tire rotation Replace cabin air filter Replace engine air filter Replace brake fluid — DOT 3 (Toyota recommends every 3 years or 60k miles) Replace front differential fluid — Toyota 75W-90 GL-5 (4WD models) Replace transfer case fluid — Toyota Genuine ATF (4WD models) Replace rear differential fluid — Toyota 75W-90 GL-5 (all models; friction modifier required for limited-slip Tacoma TRD rear locker) Replace spark plugs — iridium (3.5L V6 factory interval: 60k miles) Inspect serpentine belt — 3.5L V6 and 2.7L 4-cylinder Inspect coolant condition (Toyota Super Long Life Coolant pink — change at 100k or 10 years first interval)	View →
90k mi	Engine oil and filter change — 0W-20 full synthetic Tire rotation Replace cabin air filter Replace spark plugs — iridium (2.7L 4-cylinder factory interval: 90k miles if not done at 60k) Inspect serpentine belt — replace if cracked, frayed, or glazed Inspect power steering pump and reservoir — EHPS or hydraulic (model-dependent) Inspect all CV axle shafts and boots (4WD front axle) Inspect leaf spring bushings and U-bolts (rear suspension) Inspect brake calipers, hardware, and parking brake cables Inspect front differential breather hoses (4WD — common clog point after off-road water crossings)	View →
120k mi	Engine oil and filter change — 0W-20 full synthetic Tire rotation Replace engine coolant — Toyota Super Long Life Coolant pink (first change at 100k miles or 10 years, then every 50k) Replace automatic transmission fluid — 6-speed automatic: Toyota Genuine ATF WS (World Standard); change by 60k for towing/severe use, 120k standard use Replace manual transmission fluid — 6-speed manual: Toyota Genuine Manual Transmission Gear Oil 75W-90 Replace front differential fluid — Toyota 75W-90 GL-5 (4WD) Replace transfer case fluid — Toyota Genuine ATF (4WD) Replace rear differential fluid — Toyota 75W-90 GL-5 Replace serpentine belt if not already replaced Full brake system flush — DOT 3 Inspect and service front wheel bearings and hub assemblies Inspect all suspension components — upper and lower control arm bushings, TRD coilover damper seals (TRD Pro), and torsion bar adjustment	View →

Common symptoms for this vehicle

Check engine light on? Get a free code scan

If your check engine light is on, most auto-parts stores (AutoZone, O'Reilly, Advance) will read the code for FREE — no purchase required, just walk in. Bring the code back here and look it up at eli5cars.com/obd2 for the plain-English explanation.

Note: a scan only helps when there's an active fault code. For purely mechanical symptoms (noises, vibrations, leaks), a scan may show nothing — the suspects listed above are your starting point.